Dancing in the Dark
by TipandMalarkey
Summary: It's prom night and everyone's going, it'll be a night to remember. But as soon as Clary gets there, she sees Jace has locked lips with someone else...Clary runs back to the Institute, who follows her back? Fluff, Clarec, Friendship (but do they both feel that way?) R&R!
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer: All characters and right are owned by Cassandra Clare**

It's prom night and everyone's going, it'll be a night to remember. But as soon as Clary gets there, she sees that Jace has locked lips with someone else... She runs back home and who comes to comfort her?

* * *

Clary sat on the window-seat in her room in the institute, bathing in no light other than the moon's. She was in her prom dress, it flowed around her like waves lapping onto a beach. The dress was strapless and gathered at the waist with a square golden broach. Hand and cheek pressed against the cool glass of the window, she let tears pour down her face. She knew that her mascara was running down her cheeks but she didn't care. All she could think about was what had just happened. What _had_ just happened? Jace and Kaelie. That's what. _How could he? _Clary asked herself silently. _And with _Kaelie _too. He knows I hate her. _Clary laughed bitterly to herself. _I guess that was one of the things that appealed to him most though, no?_

Her bedroom door creaked open, letting a slither of light invade the darkness that surrounded the crying girl. "Go away Jace," she said. "I don't want to talk to you" Clary hadn't turned away from the window, but when Jace continued into her room, she snapped. Clary jumped to her feet and faced the silhouette that the light from behind was creating. "I SAID _GET OUT _JACE_!" _She grabbed a pillow from behind her and threw it at the face of the boy. He caught it easily and Clary collapsed back into the seat.

"It's not Jace." A familiar voice said hesitantly. It was male. Not Simon – Clary would recognize his instantly. Also not Magnus. It was an Idrisian accent. Alec?

"Alec?" Clary asked tentatively, repeating her thoughts. "Why are you here? You should be at the dance with your friends"

"As should you" Alec replied briskly. Clary saw the faint outline of Alec move towards her dresser. Then heard the sound of various things being knocked over. Clary stared at the fellow Shadowhunter, a look on confusion making up her face. Alec made his way over to Clary and sat down on the window-seat so that he was opposite her. He gently took hold of Clary's chin and wiped her face with a wet cloth. It suddenly hit Clary that he had been searching for make-up wipes.

"I heard what happened" Alec said gently after he had cleaned Clary's face. "It was wrong of him to do that."

Clary barked out a laugh before replying. "You think so, huh?"

Alec sighed, grabbed the girl who was sitting across from him hands, and led her to the centre of the room. He wrapped his arm around her waist and pulled her closer. Clary paused only briefly before twinning her arms around Alec's neck. As they swayed back and forth to music they couldn't hear, Clary removed her head from Alec's chest and looked up into eyes that she could hardly see.

"Thank you, Alec" Clary whispered sincerely. "Thank you so much"

"Anything for you Clary" Alec breathed back just before placing a kiss on the corner of her mouth. The words and intimate action left Clary wondering what he meant as they continued to sway through the night.


	2. Chapter 2

**This chapter is dedicated to Skyandstrawberries, I hope you enjoy **** and I'm sorry that I'm a little rusty, I haven't written in a long time ~ Tip**

Clary woke to warmth behind her, and slow, easy breathing.

* * *

"_Woah there Clary, I think you're getting a bit sleepy there." Alec said with a laugh in his voice. Clary was slowly getting lulled to sleep by their gentle movements, and Alec was pretty much carrying her. Well actually, he was carrying her. Alec's steady arms held her nearly half a foot off the ground, her arms hanging loosely over his shoulders, her head nestled into the crook of his neck. "I'm gonna get you to bed okay?" Clary murmured something unintelligible, which Alec took as "Okay." _

_In a way that Clary didn't understand how, Alec let go of her with one arm, without her slipping at all, and hooked it around her knees, carrying her like a bride. He sat her down on the end of her bed as he pulled back the duvet. Clary looked at him with wonder, swaying slightly from the lost motion of their dancing and fatigue. How could there possibly be someone as nice as him? He came back towards her but she stopped him before he could pick her back up. "I want…" Clary drawled sleepily. "I want my pajamas…" Clary thought she saw Alec blush, but it was still too dark to be sure, "Do-do you want me to go out?" Alec stammered, as he passed her the top and shorts. Clary pulled on the plain red top, tugging it down over her dress before replying while wondering why the moonlight had suddenly disappeared "No, no. You have to undo my dress for me." Clary leaned over the edge of her bed and slipped the checked shorts on over her feet, only to lose balance and topple forwards. Fortunately, Alec caught her by the arm and pulled her back upright. _Wow _Clary thought dryly _What a shadowhunter I am. _She finished pulling on her shorts, which included several odd butt jumps before yawning while asking Alec to undo her zipper. Alec reached behind her, and with surprising ease found the zip and pulled it down, freeing Clary from the dress. Clary pulled the bodice out from under her top and wriggled out of it, sending the material cascading to the floor. "I'm pretty impressed that you managed to get them the right way round with your eyes closed." Alec said, once again laughing. Clary has never heard him laugh so much. "My eyes aren't closed." Clary said dumbly. How could Alec even tell in this dark? This just made Alec laugh even more, and Clary felt is arms around her, lifting her again. "Clary, your eyes have been closed since you put your top on, I think you're too tired to have noticed." Clary tried to open her already opened eyes and discovered that they weren't open at all. "Wow" Clary murmured. "That was clever of me." Alec's chest rumbled beneath her as he set her down on the bed, then pulled the covers over her body. "Goodnight Clary." Alec said before turning around to leave. _

_Clary's hand whipped out, the fastest and most sure movement she'd made in the past few hours. "Wait, Alec" She said, looking up at his dark silhouette. "Stay." She asked, as she moved over in her bed. "Clary, I shouldn't-" Alec began to say, but Clary cut him off with a single whispered "Please." She didn't want the comfort that she felt in his presence to end, she didn't want his safety to leave. He sighed in defeat and lifted the duvet up, climbing in beside her. She lied down on her side, facing away from him, and his arm slipped around her waist, pulling him against her chest. The last thing she felt before she fell asleep was the press of lips against her cheek._

* * *

A breathe tickled her neck and Clary rolled around slowly on the spot, not wanting to wake him. Alec's arm was still over her waist and she liked the feel of it there, it made her feel comforted. Alec looked so peaceful, eyes closed, mouth slightly open. Clary never really noticed Alec's looks before, Jace had completely eclipsed the world around her, but-

Jace. Clary had forgotten about him and Kaelie. She shook her head, amazed that she could forget, considering that was the whole reason Alec was here in the first place.

Jace. By the angel, _Jace. _Where was he now? Was he still with Kaelie? Kissing her and telling her he loved her? _Jace, _Clary thought, _my Jace. _Tears started to well in her eyes as she remembered what she saw, her breathes starting to shake. A hole was opening up inside her and she covered her mouth with her hand to try and stop the small sob from escaping her chest but she just couldn't. Alec's eyes flew open, and in seeing Clary's face only a few inches from his own, he reeled back slightly. Then he noticed her crying, and instantly was back to soothe her. He wrapped his arm around her small frame and hugged her to his chest, still in his prom shirt. The other arm went around her too, holding her to him, cocooning her in comfort, letting her cry into him. "It'll be okay Clary." He whispered to her, "I'm here for you, it'll be okay."


End file.
